Vin santo
Encyclopedia
Vin Santo or Vino Santo (holy wine) is a style of Italian dessert wine
. Traditional in Tuscany, these wines are often made from white grape varieties such as Trebbiano
and Malvasia
, though Sangiovese
may be used to produce a rosé
style known as Occhio di Pernice or eye of the partridge. The wines may accurately be described as straw wine
s since they are most often produced by drying the freshly harvested grapes on straw mats in a warm and well ventilated area of the house. Though technically a dessert wine, the wines can vary in sweetness levels from bone dry (like a Fino Sherry
) to extremely sweet. While the style is believed to have originated in Tuscany, examples of Vin Santo can be found throughout Italy
and is an authorized style of wine for several Denominazione di origine controllata
(DOCs) and Indicazione geografica tipica
(IGTs).
, there are many theories on how the particular name Vin Santo or "holy wine" came to be associated with this style of wine in Italy. The most likely origin was the wine's historic use in religious Mass
, where sweet wine was often preferred. One of the earliest references to a "vinsanto" wine come from the Renaissance
era sales logs of Florentine wine merchants who widely marketed the strong, sweet wine in Rome
and elsewhere. Eventually the term "vinsanto" became almost an umbrella name for this style of wine produced elsewhere in Italy. When the Greek island of Santorini
came under rule of the Ottoman Empire
, the ruling Turks encouraged the island's wine production of a sweet dessert wine made from dried grapes. Over the next few centuries, this wine became known as Vin Santo and was widely exported to Russia
where it became a principle wine in the celebration of Mass for the Russian Orthodox Church
.
Other, likely apocryphal, stories on the name's origin attributes its naming to the work of a 14th century friar
from the province of Siena
who would use the leftover wine from Mass to cure the sick. The miraculous healing became associated with the santo or "holy" wine and the name Vin Santo was allegedly born. Another 14th century story involving John Bessarion, a patriarch
of the Greek Eastern Orthodox Church. According to legend at the Ecumenical Council of Florence
of 1349 a local Florentine wine called Vin Pretto (pure wine) was served. After trying the wine, Bessarion is said to have liked the wine and remarked that it was like Xanthos
, alluding to the famous straw wine of Thrace
, (though some sources said he described the wine as Xantho or "yellow"). The Florentine locals thought they heard the patriarch describe the wine as Santo and they accordingly started promoting the wine as a "holy wine". Another theory for the name association often touted is the tradition of starting fermentation
around All Saint's Day and bottling the wine during Easter week
.
allows the sugars in the grape to be more concentrated. The longer the grapes are allowed to dry and desiccate, the higher the resulting residual sugar levels will be in the wine. Depending on the style of wine desired, the grapes may be crushed and the fermentation
process started after a few weeks or not till late March. Producers may use a starter culture of yeast
known as a madre that includes a small amount of finished Vin Santo from previous years production. It is believed that this older wine can help jump start the fermentation process and also add complexity to the wine.
After fermentation the grapes are then aged in small oak barrels. In many DOC regions, the wines are required to age for at least 3 years though it is not uncommon for producers to age their wines for 5 to 10 years. Traditionally the barrels were made of chestnut
instead of oak, which contributed high amounts of wood tannins and was very porous which promoted excessive evaporation in the barrel. Under this same traditional style of winemaking, a large ullage
or air space would emerge in the barrel and oxidation took place. This gave the wine its characteristic amber color but also flavors and traits that may be characterized as wine faults. Towards the end of the 20th century, more produces began switching to oak barrels while maintaining the tradition of not topping up the barrels and filling in the ullage space. This angel's share still produces some level of oxidation, though not as severe as the style was historically made. Modern winemaking technique also calls for more temperature control and keeping the wine in rooms with a consistent temperature that promotes more fresh flavors in the wine and fewer faults.
Some producers will still use non-oak barrels, such as chestnut, juniper
and cherry wood and may even blend batches of Vin Santo aged in different wood barrels together. This has the potential of giving the wines more layers of complexity in much the same way that vinegar
producers in the Emilia-Romagna
region use different wood types to add complexity to their vinegar. As a fall back, if their wines become too oxidized or do not develop the way the producer wishes, some Vin Santo may be intentionally converted into vinegar that is very desirable in the culinary market.
The color of wine Vin Santo can range from a pale to dark amber to even neon orange. The flavors typical of Vin Santo often include nutty or raisin
notes with honey
and cream
attributes. In Italy it is traditional to serve the wine as a digestif at the end of the meal after espresso
. It is often served with biscotti
cookies that may be dunked into the wine.
Outside of Italy, the Greek island of Santorini
produces a sweet dessert wine also known as Vin Santo produced in many of the same ways as the Italian style.
Below is a partial list of Tuscan DOC regions that are permitted to produce a Vin Santo style wine.
Bianco dell'Empolese DOC in Tuscany, located near the town of Empoli
along the Arno river. The wine must have a minimum alcohol content of 11% and be composed of at least 80% Trebbiano with the remaining 20% composed of local white grape varieties. The wine must be aged for at least 3 years before it can be released on the market.
Bianco Pisano di San Torpe DOC in Tuscany, located in the valleys of the Pisa Province. The wine must have a minimum alcohol content of 16% and be composed of at least 75% Trebbiano with other local red and white grape varieties permitted to fill in the remaining 25%. The wine must be aged in wood barrels for at least 4 years prior to release.
Bianco della Valdinievole DOC in Tuscany, located near the villages of Montecatini
and Pescia
. The wine must have a minimum alcohol content of at least 17% and be composed of at least 70% Trebbiano. Malvasia, Canaiolo Bianco and Vermentino
may composed up to 25% with other local white grape varieties permitted to fill in the remaining 5%. The wines must be aged for a minimum of 3 years in wood barrels prior to release.
Cortona DOC in Tuscany, located around the town of Cortona
near the border with Umbria
. Both a regular Vin Santo and Occhio di Pernice style are permitted in this DOC region. The wines must have a minimum alcohol level of 11% with the regular Vin Santo composed of at least 85% Sangiovese with other local grape varieties permitted to fill in the remaining 15%. The wine must be aged for at least 3 years prior to release, with wines aged for at least 4 years permitted to bear the Riserva. For Occhio di Pernice, the wine must be composed of at least an 80% blend of Sangiovese and Malvasia with other local grape varieties permitted to fill in the remaining 20%. The aging requirements for this style of wine in the Cortona DOC is one of the longest for any style of Vin Santo with a required 8 years of aging needed before the wine can be released on the market.
Monteregio di Massa Marittima DOC in Tuscany, located in the northwest of the region this is one of Tuscany's most internationally known areas for Vin Santo. Several styles of Vin Santo are permitted here including Occhio di Pernice and Amabile with a minimum alcohol level of 11%. For regular and Amabile Vin Santo the wine must be composed of at least 70% Trebbiano and Malvasia Bianco with other local white grape varieties permitted to fill in the remaining 30%. The wine must be aged for at least 3 years prior to release, with wines aged for a minimum of 4 years permitted to be labeled as Riserva. For Occhio di Pernice the wine must be composed of 50-70% Sangiovese, 10-50% of Malvasia Nera and no more than 30% of other local red grape varieties with no white grape varieties permitted at all. The wine must be aged for at least 3 years prior to release.
Montescudaio DOC in Tuscany, located around the city of Volterra
. The wines must have a minimum alcohol level of at least 17% and be composed of 70-85% Trebbiano, 15-30% blend of Malvasia and Vermentino with a maximum of 10% for other local white grape varieties.
Pomino DOC in Tuscany, located around the commune of Rufina
. Both red and white styles of Vin Santo are produced at a variety of sweetness levels ranging from Secco (dry), Amabile (slightly sweet) to Dolce (very sweet) with a minimum alcohol level of 15.5%. The white styles are made from a 60-80% blend of Chardonnay
and Pinot Blanc
, up to 30% Trebbiano and up to 15% of other local white grape varieties. The reds can be composed of 60-75% Sangiovese, 15-25% blend of Canaiolo, Cabernet Sauvignon
, and Cabernet Franc
, 10-25% of Merlot
and up to 15% of other local red grape varieties. Both the red and white styles of Vin Santo must be aged a minimum of 3 years in wood prior to release.
San Gimignano DOC in Tuscany, the boundary of this DOC overlaps with those for the DOCG wine Vernaccia di San Gimignano
. Both a regular white Vin Santo and an Occhio di Pernice are permitted with minimum alcohol levels of at least 11.5%. Regular Vin Santo must be composed of at least 50% Malvasia, 30% Trebbiano , up to 20% Vernaccia
and up to 10% of other local grape varieties. The Occhio di Pernice must be composed of 70-100% Sangiovese with other local red grape varieties permitted to fill in the remaining 30%. Both styles need to be aged for at least 3 years prior to release.
Sant'Ántimo DOC in Tuscany, the boundary of this DOC overlaps with those of the DOCG wine Brunello di Montalcino
. Both a white and Occhio di Pernice style are permitted with a minimum alcohol level of 11.5%. For the white styles a blend of Trebbiano and Malvasia Bianco must compose at least 70% of the wine with other local white grape varieties permitted to fill in the remaining 30%. The Occhio di Pernice styles are made from 50-70% Sangiovese, 30-50% Malvasia Nera and up to 20% of other local red grape varieties. Both styles of wines must be aged for at least 3 years with the wines that have received at least 4 years of aging permitted to label themselves as Riserva.
Val d'Arbia DOC in Tuscany, this DOC includes some of the Chianti zone that extends into the Siena Province. The wine must have a minimum alcohol level of 17% and be aged for at least 3 years in wood. The wine is composed of 75-85% Trebbiano, 15-25% Malvasia and up to 15% of other local white grape varieties.
Vin Santo di Montepulciano DOC in Tuscany, like the Sant'Ántimo DOC the boundaries for this DOC overlaps with those of Brunello di Montalcino but with different restrictions on wine production. The white Vin Santo must be composed of a blend of at least 70% Grechetto
, Trebbiano and Malvasia with other local white grape varieties permitted to fill in the remaining 30%. The wine is then aged for a minimum of 3 years with those aged for at least four permitted to be labeled as Reserva. The Occhio di Pernice is composed of at least 50% Sangiovese with other local grape varieties permitted to fill in the rest of the blend. The wine is aged for a minimum of 8 years prior to release.
, Montalbano
, Colli-Fiorentini, Colline-Pisani, Colli-Aretini, Colli-Senesi and Montespertoli
. White Vin Santo must have a minimum 16% alcohol level and is composed of at least a 70% blend of Trebbiano and Malvasia with other local white grape varieties permitted to make up the remaining 30%. The Occhio di Pernice style must have a minimum alcohol level of 17% and is composed of 50-100% Sangiovese with other local white or red grape varieties permitted to make up to 50% of the remaining amount. The wines are to be aged a minimum of 3 years prior to release with wines aged for at least 4 years eligible to be labeled as Riserva styles.
The Colli dell'Etruria Centrale DOC is located within the geographical boundaries of the Chiant zones this DOC is a "catch-all" designations for alternative styles of wines that would otherwise not qualify for anything above vino da tavola. There are three distinct styles of Vin Santo that can produced under the Colli dell'Etruria Centrale DOC label-Occhio di Pernice, Abboccato and Amabile (also known as Secco). The first style, Occhio di Pernice, is a pale rosé style wine made from at least 50% Sangiovese with a mix of local red and white grape varieties permitted to fill in the remaining 50%. The wine must have a minimum alcohol level of at least 10.5% and be aged for at least 3 years prior to release. The Amabile and Abboccato styles related to their sweetness level with Abbocato designating a slightly sweet (or "off dry") style and Amabile designating a wine that is sweeter but not quite as sweet as something that would be labeled as Dolce. These wines must have a minimum alcohol level of 15% and be aged for at least 3 years prior to release. If a Vin Santo is aged for 4 years, it qualifies to be labeled as Riserva wine. Both the Amabile and Abboccato wines must be composed of at least a 70% blend of Trebbiano and Malvasia with local grape varieties permitted to fill in the remaining 30%.
Offida DOC in Marche
, includes 19 communes within the region but only 2 are allowed to produce Vin Santo. The wine must have a minimal alcohol content of 12% and be aged for at least 3 and half years prior to release. The wine must be composed of at least 85% of Passerina with the remaining 15% coming from local white grape varieties.
Trentino DOC is a large province wide DOC covering the entire province of Trentino. The Vin Santo from this area is unique in that the wine must be composed of 100% Nosiola-an obscure local grape grown little elsewhere. The wine must have a minimum alcohol level of 16% and be aged for at least 3 years.
Dessert wine
Dessert wines are sweet wines typically served with dessert.There is no simple definition of a dessert wine. In the UK, a dessert wine is considered to be any sweet wine drunk with a meal, as opposed to the white fortified wines drunk before the meal, and the red fortified wines drunk after it...
. Traditional in Tuscany, these wines are often made from white grape varieties such as Trebbiano
Trebbiano
Trebbiano is the second most widely planted grape in the world. It gives good yields, but makes undistinguished wine at best. It can be fresh and fruity, but does not keep long. Its high acidity makes it important in Cognac production...
and Malvasia
Malvasia
Malvasia is a group of wine grape varieties grown historically in the Mediterranean region, Balearic islands, Canary Islands and the island of Madeira, but now grown in many of the winemaking regions of the world...
, though Sangiovese
Sangiovese
Sangiovese is a red Italian wine grape variety whose name derives from the Latin sanguis Jovis, "the blood of Jove"...
may be used to produce a rosé
Rosé
A rosé is a type of wine that has some of the color typical of a red wine, but only enough to turn it pink. The pink color can range from a pale orange to a vivid near-purple, depending on the grapes and wine making techniques.- Production techniques :There are three major ways to produce rosé...
style known as Occhio di Pernice or eye of the partridge. The wines may accurately be described as straw wine
Straw wine
Straw wine, or raisin wine, is a wine made from grapes that have been dried to concentrate their juice. The result is similar to that of the ice wine process, but suitable for warmer climates. The classic method dries clusters of grapes on mats of straw in the sun, but some regions dry them under...
s since they are most often produced by drying the freshly harvested grapes on straw mats in a warm and well ventilated area of the house. Though technically a dessert wine, the wines can vary in sweetness levels from bone dry (like a Fino Sherry
Sherry
Sherry is a fortified wine made from white grapes that are grown near the town of Jerez , Spain. In Spanish, it is called vino de Jerez....
) to extremely sweet. While the style is believed to have originated in Tuscany, examples of Vin Santo can be found throughout Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and is an authorized style of wine for several Denominazione di origine controllata
Denominazione di Origine Controllata
Denominazione di origine controllata is a quality assurance label for food products, especially wines and various formaggi . It is modelled after the French AOC...
(DOCs) and Indicazione geografica tipica
Indicazione geografica tipica
Indicazione geografica tipica is the second of four classifications of wine recognized by the government of Italy. Created to recognize the unusually high quality of the class of wines known as Super Tuscans, IGT wines are labeled with the locality of their creation, but do not meet the...
(IGTs).
Origins of the name
While the style of making wine from dried grapes has been around almost as long as wine has been madeHistory of wine
The history of wine spans thousands of years and is closely intertwined with the history of agriculture, cuisine, civilization and humanity itself...
, there are many theories on how the particular name Vin Santo or "holy wine" came to be associated with this style of wine in Italy. The most likely origin was the wine's historic use in religious Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
, where sweet wine was often preferred. One of the earliest references to a "vinsanto" wine come from the Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
era sales logs of Florentine wine merchants who widely marketed the strong, sweet wine in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and elsewhere. Eventually the term "vinsanto" became almost an umbrella name for this style of wine produced elsewhere in Italy. When the Greek island of Santorini
Santorini (wine)
Santorini is a Greek wine region located on the archipelago of Santorini in the southern Cyclades islands of the Aegean Sea. Although wine has been produced there since ancient Greek times, when the region was known as Thíra, it was not until the Middle Ages that the wine of Santorini became famous...
came under rule of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, the ruling Turks encouraged the island's wine production of a sweet dessert wine made from dried grapes. Over the next few centuries, this wine became known as Vin Santo and was widely exported to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
where it became a principle wine in the celebration of Mass for the Russian Orthodox Church
Russian Orthodox Church
The Russian Orthodox Church or, alternatively, the Moscow Patriarchate The ROC is often said to be the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world; including all the autocephalous churches under its umbrella, its adherents number over 150 million worldwide—about half of the 300 million...
.
Other, likely apocryphal, stories on the name's origin attributes its naming to the work of a 14th century friar
Friar
A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders.-Friars and monks:...
from the province of Siena
Province of Siena
The Province of Siena is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Siena.It has an area of 3,821 km² , and a total population of 252,288 . There are 36 comuni in the province...
who would use the leftover wine from Mass to cure the sick. The miraculous healing became associated with the santo or "holy" wine and the name Vin Santo was allegedly born. Another 14th century story involving John Bessarion, a patriarch
Latin Patriarch of Constantinople
The Latin Patriarch of Constantinople was an office established as a result of Crusader activity in the Near East. The title should not be confused with that of the Patriarch of Constantinople, an office which existed before and after....
of the Greek Eastern Orthodox Church. According to legend at the Ecumenical Council of Florence
Council of Florence
The Council of Florence was an Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. It began in 1431 in Basel, Switzerland, and became known as the Council of Ferrara after its transfer to Ferrara was decreed by Pope Eugene IV, to convene in 1438...
of 1349 a local Florentine wine called Vin Pretto (pure wine) was served. After trying the wine, Bessarion is said to have liked the wine and remarked that it was like Xanthos
Xanthos
Xanthos was the name of a city in ancient Lycia, the site of present day Kınık, Antalya Province, Turkey, and of the river on which the city is situated...
, alluding to the famous straw wine of Thrace
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
, (though some sources said he described the wine as Xantho or "yellow"). The Florentine locals thought they heard the patriarch describe the wine as Santo and they accordingly started promoting the wine as a "holy wine". Another theory for the name association often touted is the tradition of starting fermentation
Fermentation (wine)
The process of fermentation in wine turns grape juice into an alcoholic beverage. During fermentation, yeast interact with sugars in the juice to create ethanol, commonly known as ethyl alcohol, and carbon dioxide...
around All Saint's Day and bottling the wine during Easter week
Easter Week
Easter Week is the period of seven days from Easter Sunday through the Saturday following.-Western Church:In the Latin Rite of Roman Catholicism, Anglican and other Western churches, Easter Week is the week beginning with the Christian feast of Easter and ending a week later on Easter Saturday...
.
Production methods
After the grapes destined for Vin Santo are harvested in September or October, they are laid out on straw mats, often under rafters or staircases. They are kept in warm, well ventilated rooms that allow the moisture in the grape to evaporate. This process of desiccationDesiccation
Desiccation is the state of extreme dryness, or the process of extreme drying. A desiccant is a hygroscopic substance that induces or sustains such a state in its local vicinity in a moderately sealed container.-Science:...
allows the sugars in the grape to be more concentrated. The longer the grapes are allowed to dry and desiccate, the higher the resulting residual sugar levels will be in the wine. Depending on the style of wine desired, the grapes may be crushed and the fermentation
Fermentation (wine)
The process of fermentation in wine turns grape juice into an alcoholic beverage. During fermentation, yeast interact with sugars in the juice to create ethanol, commonly known as ethyl alcohol, and carbon dioxide...
process started after a few weeks or not till late March. Producers may use a starter culture of yeast
Yeast
Yeasts are eukaryotic micro-organisms classified in the kingdom Fungi, with 1,500 species currently described estimated to be only 1% of all fungal species. Most reproduce asexually by mitosis, and many do so by an asymmetric division process called budding...
known as a madre that includes a small amount of finished Vin Santo from previous years production. It is believed that this older wine can help jump start the fermentation process and also add complexity to the wine.
After fermentation the grapes are then aged in small oak barrels. In many DOC regions, the wines are required to age for at least 3 years though it is not uncommon for producers to age their wines for 5 to 10 years. Traditionally the barrels were made of chestnut
Chestnut
Chestnut , some species called chinkapin or chinquapin, is a genus of eight or nine species of deciduous trees and shrubs in the beech family Fagaceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce.-Species:The chestnut belongs to the...
instead of oak, which contributed high amounts of wood tannins and was very porous which promoted excessive evaporation in the barrel. Under this same traditional style of winemaking, a large ullage
Ullage (wine)
Ullage is a winemaking term that has several meanings but most commonly refers to the headspace of air between wine and the top of the container that it is in...
or air space would emerge in the barrel and oxidation took place. This gave the wine its characteristic amber color but also flavors and traits that may be characterized as wine faults. Towards the end of the 20th century, more produces began switching to oak barrels while maintaining the tradition of not topping up the barrels and filling in the ullage space. This angel's share still produces some level of oxidation, though not as severe as the style was historically made. Modern winemaking technique also calls for more temperature control and keeping the wine in rooms with a consistent temperature that promotes more fresh flavors in the wine and fewer faults.
Some producers will still use non-oak barrels, such as chestnut, juniper
Juniper
Junipers are coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on taxonomic viewpoint, there are between 50-67 species of juniper, widely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere, from the Arctic, south to tropical Africa in the Old World, and to the...
and cherry wood and may even blend batches of Vin Santo aged in different wood barrels together. This has the potential of giving the wines more layers of complexity in much the same way that vinegar
Vinegar
Vinegar is a liquid substance consisting mainly of acetic acid and water, the acetic acid being produced through the fermentation of ethanol by acetic acid bacteria. Commercial vinegar is produced either by fast or slow fermentation processes. Slow methods generally are used with traditional...
producers in the Emilia-Romagna
Emilia-Romagna
Emilia–Romagna is an administrative region of Northern Italy comprising the two historic regions of Emilia and Romagna. The capital is Bologna; it has an area of and about 4.4 million inhabitants....
region use different wood types to add complexity to their vinegar. As a fall back, if their wines become too oxidized or do not develop the way the producer wishes, some Vin Santo may be intentionally converted into vinegar that is very desirable in the culinary market.
Wine styles
The styles, color, sweetness and quality of Vin Santo can vary widely depending on the grape varieties and production methods used to make the wine. While white grapes, such as Trebbiano and Malvasia in Tuscany, are most widely used, red grape varieties (such as Sangiovese) can be used to produce a rosé style wine. When red grape varieties are used, the wine is often labeled as a Occhio di Pernice or "eye of the partridge," which has its own DOC classification in several regions of Italy. The wines can be made to fit any style of sweetness levels from bone dry, almost Fino Sherry-like, to extremely sweet and on par with the botrytized wines of France and Germany. The wines can even be fortified with grape spirit like Port added during fermentation. These fortified examples are usually labelled as Vin Santo Liquoroso.The color of wine Vin Santo can range from a pale to dark amber to even neon orange. The flavors typical of Vin Santo often include nutty or raisin
Raisin
Raisins are dried grapes. They are produced in many regions of the world. Raisins may be eaten raw or used in cooking, baking and brewing...
notes with honey
Honey
Honey is a sweet food made by bees using nectar from flowers. The variety produced by honey bees is the one most commonly referred to and is the type of honey collected by beekeepers and consumed by humans...
and cream
Cream
Cream is a dairy product that is composed of the higher-butterfat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization. In un-homogenized milk, over time, the lighter fat rises to the top. In the industrial production of cream this process is accelerated by using centrifuges called "separators"...
attributes. In Italy it is traditional to serve the wine as a digestif at the end of the meal after espresso
Espresso
Espresso is a concentrated beverage brewed by forcing a small amount of nearly boiling water under pressure through finely ground coffee. Espresso is widely known throughout the world....
. It is often served with biscotti
Biscotti
Biscotti more correctly known as biscotti di Prato , also known as cantuccini , are twice-baked biscuits originating in the Italian city of Prato...
cookies that may be dunked into the wine.
Wine regions
For most of the 20th century, Vin Santo was often sold as basic vino da tavola due to Italian wine authorities' difficulties in classifying the many different styles of the wine. Today most of the major Italian wine producing regions have their own DOCs for specific Vin Santo wines produced in those areas. While the style is traditionally associated with Tuscany, examples can be found on the international wine market from throughout Italy. In the Trentino region, a dried straw wine made from the Nosiola grape is popularly labeled as Vino Santo. A noticeable difference between the Trentino and Tuscan examples is that the Trentino wines are usually less oxidized due to the wines regularly being "topped up" to prevent a large ullage.Outside of Italy, the Greek island of Santorini
Santorini
Santorini , officially Thira , is an island located in the southern Aegean Sea, about southeast from Greece's mainland. It is the largest island of a small, circular archipelago which bears the same name and is the remnant of a volcanic caldera...
produces a sweet dessert wine also known as Vin Santo produced in many of the same ways as the Italian style.
Tuscan DOCs
Bianco dell'Empolese DOC in Tuscany, located near the town of Empoli
Empoli
Empoli is a town and comune in Tuscany, Italy, about 20 km southwest of Florence, to the south of the Arno in a plain formed by the latter river. The plain has been usable for agriculture since Roman times. The commune's territory becomes a hilly one as it departs from the river...
along the Arno river. The wine must have a minimum alcohol content of 11% and be composed of at least 80% Trebbiano with the remaining 20% composed of local white grape varieties. The wine must be aged for at least 3 years before it can be released on the market.
Bianco Pisano di San Torpe DOC in Tuscany, located in the valleys of the Pisa Province. The wine must have a minimum alcohol content of 16% and be composed of at least 75% Trebbiano with other local red and white grape varieties permitted to fill in the remaining 25%. The wine must be aged in wood barrels for at least 4 years prior to release.
Bianco della Valdinievole DOC in Tuscany, located near the villages of Montecatini
Montecatini
- Places in Italy :* Montecatini Terme, health resort in Tuscany* Montecatini Val di Cecina, village and mining town to the south of Pisa*Montecatini, hamlet in the comune of San Martino in Rio...
and Pescia
Pescia
Pescia is an Italian city in the province of Pistoia, Tuscany, central Italy.It is located in a central zone between the cities Lucca and Florence, on the banks of the homonymous river.-History:...
. The wine must have a minimum alcohol content of at least 17% and be composed of at least 70% Trebbiano. Malvasia, Canaiolo Bianco and Vermentino
Vermentino
Vermentino is a late-ripening white grape variety, primarily found in Italian wine. It is widely planted in Sardinia, in Liguria primarily under the name Pigato, to some extent in Corsica, in Piedmont under the name Favorita, and in increasing amounts in Languedoc-Roussillon. The leaves are dark...
may composed up to 25% with other local white grape varieties permitted to fill in the remaining 5%. The wines must be aged for a minimum of 3 years in wood barrels prior to release.
Cortona DOC in Tuscany, located around the town of Cortona
Cortona
Cortona is a town and comune in the province of Arezzo, in Tuscany, Italy. It is the main cultural and artistic center of the Val di Chiana after Arezzo.-History:...
near the border with Umbria
Umbria
Umbria is a region of modern central Italy. It is one of the smallest Italian regions and the only peninsular region that is landlocked.Its capital is Perugia.Assisi and Norcia are historical towns associated with St. Francis of Assisi, and St...
. Both a regular Vin Santo and Occhio di Pernice style are permitted in this DOC region. The wines must have a minimum alcohol level of 11% with the regular Vin Santo composed of at least 85% Sangiovese with other local grape varieties permitted to fill in the remaining 15%. The wine must be aged for at least 3 years prior to release, with wines aged for at least 4 years permitted to bear the Riserva. For Occhio di Pernice, the wine must be composed of at least an 80% blend of Sangiovese and Malvasia with other local grape varieties permitted to fill in the remaining 20%. The aging requirements for this style of wine in the Cortona DOC is one of the longest for any style of Vin Santo with a required 8 years of aging needed before the wine can be released on the market.
Monteregio di Massa Marittima DOC in Tuscany, located in the northwest of the region this is one of Tuscany's most internationally known areas for Vin Santo. Several styles of Vin Santo are permitted here including Occhio di Pernice and Amabile with a minimum alcohol level of 11%. For regular and Amabile Vin Santo the wine must be composed of at least 70% Trebbiano and Malvasia Bianco with other local white grape varieties permitted to fill in the remaining 30%. The wine must be aged for at least 3 years prior to release, with wines aged for a minimum of 4 years permitted to be labeled as Riserva. For Occhio di Pernice the wine must be composed of 50-70% Sangiovese, 10-50% of Malvasia Nera and no more than 30% of other local red grape varieties with no white grape varieties permitted at all. The wine must be aged for at least 3 years prior to release.
Montescudaio DOC in Tuscany, located around the city of Volterra
Volterra
Volterra, known to the ancient Etruscans as Velathri, to the Romans as Volaterrae, is a town and comune in the Tuscany region of Italy.-History:...
. The wines must have a minimum alcohol level of at least 17% and be composed of 70-85% Trebbiano, 15-30% blend of Malvasia and Vermentino with a maximum of 10% for other local white grape varieties.
Pomino DOC in Tuscany, located around the commune of Rufina
Rufina
Rufina is a comune in the Province of Florence in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 20 km east of Florence.Rufina borders the following municipalities: Dicomano, Londa, Montemignaio, Pelago, Pontassieve, Pratovecchio....
. Both red and white styles of Vin Santo are produced at a variety of sweetness levels ranging from Secco (dry), Amabile (slightly sweet) to Dolce (very sweet) with a minimum alcohol level of 15.5%. The white styles are made from a 60-80% blend of Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
and Pinot Blanc
Pinot Blanc
Pinot blanc is a white wine grape. It is a point genetic mutation of Pinot noir. Pinot noir is genetically unstable and will occasionally experience a point mutation in which a vine bears all black fruit except for one cane which produced white fruit....
, up to 30% Trebbiano and up to 15% of other local white grape varieties. The reds can be composed of 60-75% Sangiovese, 15-25% blend of Canaiolo, Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...
, and Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc is one of the major black grape varieties worldwide. It is principally grown for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the Bordeaux style, but can also be vinified alone - as in the Loire's Chinon...
, 10-25% of Merlot
Merlot
Merlot is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird , probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines...
and up to 15% of other local red grape varieties. Both the red and white styles of Vin Santo must be aged a minimum of 3 years in wood prior to release.
San Gimignano DOC in Tuscany, the boundary of this DOC overlaps with those for the DOCG wine Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Vernaccia is a white Italian wine, made from the Vernaccia grape, produced in and around the Italian hill town of San Gimignano in Tuscany. Since the Renaissance it has been considered one of Italy's finest white wines...
. Both a regular white Vin Santo and an Occhio di Pernice are permitted with minimum alcohol levels of at least 11.5%. Regular Vin Santo must be composed of at least 50% Malvasia, 30% Trebbiano , up to 20% Vernaccia
Vernaccia
Vernaccia is a white wine grape that is found in many Italian wines but is most commonly associated the Tuscan wine Vernaccia di San Gimignano. Ampelographers have determined that the Vernaccia vine has many clonal varieties but is unrelated to some Italian vines known as "Vernaccia" such as the...
and up to 10% of other local grape varieties. The Occhio di Pernice must be composed of 70-100% Sangiovese with other local red grape varieties permitted to fill in the remaining 30%. Both styles need to be aged for at least 3 years prior to release.
Sant'Ántimo DOC in Tuscany, the boundary of this DOC overlaps with those of the DOCG wine Brunello di Montalcino
Brunello di Montalcino
Brunello di Montalcino is a red Italian wine produced in the vineyards surrounding the town of Montalcino located about 120 km south of Florence in the Tuscany wine region. Brunello, roughly translated as "small dark one" in the local dialect, is the unofficial name of the clone of Sangiovese...
. Both a white and Occhio di Pernice style are permitted with a minimum alcohol level of 11.5%. For the white styles a blend of Trebbiano and Malvasia Bianco must compose at least 70% of the wine with other local white grape varieties permitted to fill in the remaining 30%. The Occhio di Pernice styles are made from 50-70% Sangiovese, 30-50% Malvasia Nera and up to 20% of other local red grape varieties. Both styles of wines must be aged for at least 3 years with the wines that have received at least 4 years of aging permitted to label themselves as Riserva.
Val d'Arbia DOC in Tuscany, this DOC includes some of the Chianti zone that extends into the Siena Province. The wine must have a minimum alcohol level of 17% and be aged for at least 3 years in wood. The wine is composed of 75-85% Trebbiano, 15-25% Malvasia and up to 15% of other local white grape varieties.
Vin Santo di Montepulciano DOC in Tuscany, like the Sant'Ántimo DOC the boundaries for this DOC overlaps with those of Brunello di Montalcino but with different restrictions on wine production. The white Vin Santo must be composed of a blend of at least 70% Grechetto
Grechetto
Grechetto or Grechetto Bianco is an Italian wine grape of Greek origins. The grape is planted throughout central Italy, particularly in the Umbria region where it is used in the Denominazione di origine controllata wine Orvieto. It is primarily a blending grape, though some varietal wine is also...
, Trebbiano and Malvasia with other local white grape varieties permitted to fill in the remaining 30%. The wine is then aged for a minimum of 3 years with those aged for at least four permitted to be labeled as Reserva. The Occhio di Pernice is composed of at least 50% Sangiovese with other local grape varieties permitted to fill in the rest of the blend. The wine is aged for a minimum of 8 years prior to release.
Chianti DOCs
There are two main DOC regions that cover the production of Vin Santo in the Chianti zone. The Vin Santo del Chianti DOC overlaps with the entire Chianti zone and includes nearly every style and sweetness level of Vin Santo produced in Tuscany. Most of the Vin Santo that is sold on the international wine market is produced under this DOC designation. As with red Chianti wine, several village are permitted to add their names on the wine label as sub-zones. These sub-zones are RufinaRufina
Rufina is a comune in the Province of Florence in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 20 km east of Florence.Rufina borders the following municipalities: Dicomano, Londa, Montemignaio, Pelago, Pontassieve, Pratovecchio....
, Montalbano
Montalbano
The term Montalbano can be referred to:*Bartolomeo Montalbano Italian Baroque Musician*Inspector Montalbano Sicilian fictional detective*Montalbano Elicona a comune in Sicily, Italy...
, Colli-Fiorentini, Colline-Pisani, Colli-Aretini, Colli-Senesi and Montespertoli
Montespertoli
Montespertoli is a comune in the Province of Florence in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 20 km southwest of Florence....
. White Vin Santo must have a minimum 16% alcohol level and is composed of at least a 70% blend of Trebbiano and Malvasia with other local white grape varieties permitted to make up the remaining 30%. The Occhio di Pernice style must have a minimum alcohol level of 17% and is composed of 50-100% Sangiovese with other local white or red grape varieties permitted to make up to 50% of the remaining amount. The wines are to be aged a minimum of 3 years prior to release with wines aged for at least 4 years eligible to be labeled as Riserva styles.
The Colli dell'Etruria Centrale DOC is located within the geographical boundaries of the Chiant zones this DOC is a "catch-all" designations for alternative styles of wines that would otherwise not qualify for anything above vino da tavola. There are three distinct styles of Vin Santo that can produced under the Colli dell'Etruria Centrale DOC label-Occhio di Pernice, Abboccato and Amabile (also known as Secco). The first style, Occhio di Pernice, is a pale rosé style wine made from at least 50% Sangiovese with a mix of local red and white grape varieties permitted to fill in the remaining 50%. The wine must have a minimum alcohol level of at least 10.5% and be aged for at least 3 years prior to release. The Amabile and Abboccato styles related to their sweetness level with Abbocato designating a slightly sweet (or "off dry") style and Amabile designating a wine that is sweeter but not quite as sweet as something that would be labeled as Dolce. These wines must have a minimum alcohol level of 15% and be aged for at least 3 years prior to release. If a Vin Santo is aged for 4 years, it qualifies to be labeled as Riserva wine. Both the Amabile and Abboccato wines must be composed of at least a 70% blend of Trebbiano and Malvasia with local grape varieties permitted to fill in the remaining 30%.
Other DOCs
Marche
The population density in the region is below the national average. In 2008, it was 161.5 inhabitants per km2, compared to the national figure of 198.8. It is highest in the province of Ancona , and lowest in the province of Macerata...
, includes 19 communes within the region but only 2 are allowed to produce Vin Santo. The wine must have a minimal alcohol content of 12% and be aged for at least 3 and half years prior to release. The wine must be composed of at least 85% of Passerina with the remaining 15% coming from local white grape varieties.
Trentino DOC is a large province wide DOC covering the entire province of Trentino. The Vin Santo from this area is unique in that the wine must be composed of 100% Nosiola-an obscure local grape grown little elsewhere. The wine must have a minimum alcohol level of 16% and be aged for at least 3 years.